Winding reel



Feb. 5, 1946. A. B. wlLsoN WINDING REEL 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 19. 1 942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A. B. WILSON Feb. 5, 1946.

WINDING REEL Filed 0G13. 19. 1942` Patented Feb. 5, 1946 WINDING REEL Allen B. Wilson, Evanston, Ill., assignor to Acme Steel Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 19, 1942, Serial No. 462,457

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in winding reels and its purpose is to provide improved means for winding strip steel and the like in spiral coils. The present invention is an improvement upon that described and claimed in the copending application of Chester B. MacCh'esney for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 395,967, filed May 31, 1941, Patent No. 2,299,101, October 20, 1942.

In said application of Chester M. MacChesney, there is disclosed an improved winding reel in which the power for effecting rotation during the winding operation is applied directly to the segments on which the strip material is wound and in which the expansion of the annular series of segments is effected, and their contraction controlled, by a tapered expanding member mounted for movement by power means longitudinally of the axis of the reel. In that construction, the segments are anchored securely at one end to a rotating member and the power for rotating the core is applied directly to the segments at points adjacent the region wh'ere the coil of strip material is wound, thus overcoming any tendency of the segments to tilt or twist during the winding operation. The parts are preferably so formed that the segments and the expanding member have only an annular line contact with each other in all but one of the positions of the expanding member, which position may correspond to the expanded condition of the core, so that the resistance to the movement of the expanding member is comparatively limited.

In the improved type of winding reel just referred to, the lateral edges of the segments of the core on which the metal strip is Wound are spaced apart when the core is expanded in order to allow the segments to close upon each other when the core is contracted for the purpose of permitting the removal of a coil of wound material, and the inner convolutions of the coil are therefore not supported by a continuous cylinder during the winding operation, with the result that the inner convolutions of the coil are bent slightly where they pass over the edges of the segments and may have their surfaces marred. The principallobject of the present invention is to provide an improved winding reel which overcomes this diiculty by providing a core having a continuous cylindrical surface when it is expanded so that there is no danger of damaging the inner convolutions of the coil of strip material. A further object of the invention is to provide a winding reel having a core made up of an annular series of segments which contact with each other on their lateral sides in combination with means for expanding and contracting the core and moving adjacent segments of the series in contact with each other when the core is expanded. Still another object of the invention is to provide a winding reel having a core comprising a series of outer segments and a series of inner segments which form a continuous cylindrical surface when they are expanded and which are expanded and contracted independently of each oth'er and in such timed relation that the segments of the two series contact with each other on their lateral sides in the expanded condition of the core. A further object of the invention is to provide a winding reel having a co-re made up of two annular series of segments which are positioned with the segments of one series arranged alternately with respect to the segments of the other series and in which the segments of the'two series are expanded, and their contraction controlled, by separate expanding members which are tapered in different degrees so that one series of segments moves in advance of the other series. Other 0bjects of the invention relate to variousl features I of construction and arrangement which will appear more fully hereinafter.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings in which two embodiments are illustrated. In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal vertical section through one form of winding reel, illustrating the segments of the core in their expanded condition where they form a continuous cylindrical surface on which the strip material is wound;

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal vertical section similar to that of Fig. 1, with th'e segments of the core contracted to permit the removal of the coil of strip material which is partially illustrated by dotted lines;

Fig. 3 shows a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 shows a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. l;

- Fig. 6 shows a sectional view taken on the line S-B of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 shows a sectional view taken on the line 'l-l of Fig. l;

Fig. 8 shows a longitudinal vertical section, similar to that of Fig. 1, illustrating a modied form of the invention with the segments of the core expanded;

Fig. 9 shows a partial sectional-view, similar cause the segments I1 move inwardly in advance of the segments I5 when the core is contracted and at all times extend inwardly to a greater `eX- tent, although when the segments are expanded, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, theirl outer margins extend outwardly to the same extent and form a continuous cylindrical surface on whichthe coil this arrangement, and with the expanding members moved to the right` to the limit of theirV travel, as shown in Fig. 1, the Vsegments of both series are fully expanded to forma continuous 'cylindrical surface, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5.

When the expanding members are then moved toward the left, as viewed by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the inner segments will bepermitted to follow the expanding member Zilvand move inwardly toward the axis of the core while the outer seg-V 'ments will be maintained momentarily in their of strip material I8 or the like is wound. Theoute er segments I6 are more extensive circumferen- I tially than the inner segments andprovide a more i Vextensive support for the strip material thank the inner segments, and theirjouter arcuate Vsurfaces I Se. are adapted to form continuations of the outer arcuate-'surfaces Ila' of the inner segments. The outer segments are provided on their lateralsides with' longitudinally extending surfaces llib which l 'converge inwardly and which are adapted, when ,the core expanded, to coact with the outwardly converging surfaces` IIb formed on the inner segy ments, it'being understood that each inner seg- Linentisinterposed between two outer segments. The surfaces |61V and 11b are inclined with respect to the radii of the core and the angle of 'thisinclination is preferably so arranged in relationto the rate of radialY movement of the segmentsLthat, when thecore: is expanded, the inner and'Kouter segments will Vcontact withv each other. `The segments of the two series are independently j expanded and t contracted `without utilizing the vsegments tojelect any wedging action, that fea- V .inclinations of .the'contactingsurfaces of theo ture being'the'subject-Inatter of an independent finvention described and claimed inthe copending application of William Schroeder, Serial No.462`, `.f65,'illeol October 19, 1942.

'Ihe expansion of the segments of the core is effected, "and their contraction is controlled, by a pair of Vexpanding members I9 and 20 which may be formedas, one integralstructure mounted Vupon the tapered endZIa'oi va Yrod 2| which is adapted tobe reciprocated longitudinally vduring theexpansionand contraction of the core. The

' expanding members I9 and'20 are r-held on the #rod 2| by avnut '22 and. each 4expanding',member is constructed in the formof atruncated cone. .'The annular tapered surface of the expanding memberIS, is adapted to contact with longitudi- 'nally inclined wedging surfaces I6c which are Vformed on projections ltd extending inwardly' from the outer segments I6. S imilarly,1the an- "nular' tapered surface ofthe expanding member 20.is adaptedto contact with longitudinallyV inclined wedging surfaces I'lc which are formed on the inner faces Vof the projections I'ld which (extend @inwardly from ythe inner rsegments I'I. The expanding member I9 is provided'at its larger end with an extension I9a of cylindrical 'form whichV is adapted to coact with surfaces-I6e on `the projections IEdwhich are arcuate and concentric with the axis of the coreand ofthe rod 2| so 'that the expanding memberle is capable 'of'som'e'longitudinal movement rvwith respectto g the segments I6, with the portion ISIa contacting the surfaces |62 of the segments, fwithoutieiect-V V-ing'any radial movement of the segments. v'With expanded condition while the portion I9a of the expanding member I9 is sliding on the surfaces ite, whereupon the outer segments are then per- .mitted to move` inwardly to the contracted position shown inY Figs. 2 and 4. Y With this arrangement, it is possible to contract the two series of `segments independently of each other leven though' they contactfwith each other on their lateral sides and form a complete cylinder when they are expanded. It will be understoodthat the inclined wedging surfaces of the expandingmem-L `.bers and of the segments may be so'formed'y that they will have-a full surface contactwithfeach other in onlyone condition of the core, which may preferably be the ,expanded condition, while n in all other positions there willfbe'only Aa! line Y contact so that resistance to ther movement ofthe expanding members is thus materially reduced.

The portions of the vsegments I6 and' I'Tfwhich `have'heretofore been described are: the forward portions of thesev segments whichV project beyond the housing 24 and which are adapted to receive the coil of strip 'material I8. Each of thefouter segments I6 is provided Witha rearwardly ex.- Y

tending supporting. arm |6f and eachl inner Ysegment is provided :with `a similar rearwardlyextending supporting army I'If which projects into Y Y the housing "24. Thefinner ends A-oithese varms are 'providedwith enlargements Igand VitY which are securedA in apertures-formedlin -a Aspider- 'or drum 25.V Thisdrumhas a'hubiportion'provided -with an aperture25a inwhichthe rodjZI is'slidably'and rotatably mounted `and thisrhubpoi'-v tion of the spider is journaled linfa roller-bearing unitA 25 securedinlthef rear end wallZla forY 'the' housing. YThe portions Ilhfan'd 57h oftheY arms of the segments are curved in crosssectioln adjacent the spider25 transversely of the rod-2| and are resilient so that they permit'sorne hex-` ingV of the segments in this'region to-'allowthe forward portions of the segments `to expand-and contract in response to'change in the positions of ther expanding membersY |9 andr 20.

'Ihe expanding members are movedlongitudnally of the core for the purpose of `effecting or controlling the expansion ofthe segments by' a piston 28 which is connected to the rod 2| and.

mounted to reciprocate in a cylinder 30. This cylinderY has Va forward Vextension-3|a provided with an annular'flange `3th which seats against the-outer face of a plate 3| by V`which the end of the housing 24 is closed-around .theY rodEI. The flange Sbandthe plate y3| are secured to the Vhousing and the plate'has a circular projection Blawhich fits `into the'aperture'in the ring 32 which seatsA ina groove inthe V'pla-te.

housingfin which'A the roller-bearing'uniti 26 Vis mounted. i The plate'l has A'a centralopening Y through which Vtherod 2| Aextends and a dust tight closure is made around the'rod'by a `packin The pistonrZB is loosely engaged' bythe rodEI yso Vthat the rod mayiro'tate within thepist-o'n during the vnormal rotation of the v:windingreel and, to facilitate this rotation, fa ball bearing' unit 33 is mounted on the reduced end 2|b of the rod within an annular recess 2Ba which is formed in the rear end of the piston. A nut 34 engages the threaded end of the rod 2| touhold it in xed longitudinal position with respect to the ball bearing unit 33 and the piston 28. The central passage 28b of the piston is loosely engaged by the rod 2| and is provided with bushings 35 in which the rod is adapted to rotate. The piston is further provided at its forward end with a tubular extension 28c which slidably engages an aperture formed in the inner end wall of the cylinder 30. This end wall is provided with a stuffing box surrounding this tubular extension 28 of the piston and this stuffing box is lled with packing material 36 adapted to be compressed by a packing gland 31 attached to the end face of the cylinder, thus forming a fluid tight connection around the tubular extension 28 of the piston.

When the piston 28 is in its retracted position, as shown in Fig. 1, corresponding to the expanded condition of the core, a space 38 is provided between the cap 28d of the piston and the head 3|)d of the cylinder which are secured to the piston and the cylinder, respectively. The head 38d of the cylinder has an inwardly extending annular ilange ZIIIe which limits the rearward movement of the piston and thus defines the space 38. Compressed air or the like is adapted to be admitted to the space 3B through a pipe 39 leading from an air compressor or the like. Another supply pipe 40 admits compressed air to a passage 36f which leads through the front wall of the cylinder and communicates with the space between the piston and the forward wall or head of the cylinder. In order to insure an annular space between the piston and `Ithis end wall 30 of the cylinder, these parts are provided around the forward extension 28c of the piston with annular projections 28g and 313g which are adapted to contact with each other when the piston is in its extreme forward position. The piston is further provided with an annular circumferential recess 28h occupied by a quantity of packing material 4| which provides a lluid tight connection between the piston and the surrounding wall of the cylinder.

The driving force for effecting rotation of the core I5 is applied to the segments adjacent the forward end of the housing 24 in proximity to the region where the coil of strip material I8 is wound on the core. For this purpose, a driving gear 45 is located in the forward end of the housing 24 with its annular flanges 45EL and 45b journaled in ball bearing units 46 and 41, 'respectively, which are mounted at the inner margins of the flanges 24h and 24c formed on the housing 24 to extend radially inward from its outer wall, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The forward flange 24b has an extension 24d provided with an annular groove in which is mounted a sealing ring 48 of felt or the like, which prevents the access of dust to the roller bearing unit 46 and to the interior of the housing. The driving gear 45 is provided on its outer side with teeth 45 which mesh with the teeth of the driving pinion 49, shown in Fig. 6, which is secured upon a driving shaft 50 adapted to be actuated by an electric motor or other source of power during the winding operation. f

In order to form a driving connection between the gear 45 and the arms I6I and I1I of the segments of the core, the gear is provided on its inner side with a series of spaced teeth 45d which enter the notches |61 and |11 formed in the arms of the segments, as illustrated in Fig. 6. These notches or recesses are located in the marginal edges of the segments and those in two adjacent arms I6f and llfregister with each other to receive one of the teeth 45d. The notches are of sucient depth to permit radial movement of the segments within the gear to the extent that may be necessary to accommodate the expansion and contraction of the segments in response to the longitudinal movements of the expanding members I9 and 20 and the action of the contracting means hereinafter described. By thus applying the driving force at intermediate parts of the outer segments of the core, any tendency of these segments to tilt or twist longitudinally or laterally under the influence of stresses applied thereto during the winding operation is overcome.

The admission of compressed air through the pipe 40 to the left hand end of the cylinder 30, as viewed in Fig. 1, moves the cylinder to' the position shown by full lines, thus expanding the core I5 and forming a cylindrical surface upon which the coil I8 may be wound, the power for winding being applied through the pinion 49 and the gear 45. At the conclusion of the winding operation, compressed air is admitted through the pipe 39 to the right hand end of the cylinder, as viewed in Fig. l, and the piston then moves the expanding members I9 and 20 toward the left to release the segments I6 and |1 and permit them to contract. In order that this contraction may be positively effected, a series of cylinders 5| are mounted within the housing 24 to extend radially inward from its outer wall adjacent the gear 45, the outer ends of these cylinders being secured between the iiange 24c and another annular inwardly extending ilange 24e formed on the housing. A series of cylindrical pistons 52 are mounted to reciprocate in these cylinders 5| and their inner rounded ends 52aL are adapted to bear against the outer faces of the arms I6I and |1f of the core segments. 'I'he outer ends of these cylinders are provided with a series of ports 5I@L having connections with supply pipes 54 which lead from an annular supply pipe 55 mounted to extend around the group of segment arms |6f and I1f. Compressed air or the like is supplied to the pipe 55 through a pipe 56,`shown in Fig. 7, and when compressed air is admitted to the space 38 at the end of the cylinder 30 to cause the expanding members I9 and 20 to move toward the left, as viewed in Fig. l., compressed air is simultaneously admitted through the pipes 54 to the various cylinders 5I, thus causing the pistons 52 to be actuated to move all of the segments I6 and I1 inwardly to the positions shown in Fig. 2. As this movement of the expanding members takes place, the inward movement of the segments I1 precedes the inward movement of the outer segments I6 sufficiently to allow for the contraction of the core, this timed relation of the contraction of the two series of segments being effected by the provision of the annular surface I9* on the expanding member I-9 which provides ja dwell period during which the outer segments I6 do not move inwardly inresponse to the longitudinal movement of the expanding member I9. In order to retract the pistons 52 during the rotation of the core, when the compressed air is not applied to the cylinders 5I, the intermediate portion of each piston is reduced in diameter, and the annular recess thus formed is occupied by a coil spring 51 which r`ated lcylinder and the router end .of the'cylinder isSIightlyreduced in'inner diameter to :form -a shoulderwhich'limits the outwardm'ovement of the pistonfand vforms aspacehthrough which compressed air is applied to `the lend ofthe piston i Instead of Vcausing ithemovement Vof .one -seres of'segments to precede thefotherby'the arrangement describedv above, this timed relationship may be brought about .byusing different angles of taper on the expanding members whichlco` -act'with the two diierent seriesfof segments, as in thelform Shown inFigspS, :9 and:10. Inthis form, 'the core 6!! 'comprises outer'segments 1,62 and inner segments 63 which may be identical in construction vwiththose previously "described so far astheir outercontacting portions are concerned. These portions lare adapted vto vreceive `the Acoil 'liflv of stripemat'erial and Vthe/outer seg- 'ments v52 Aare provided with longitudinally inclined wedgng surfaces 52 `formed on the pro- `jections 62d which extend inwardly therefrom and the outer segments 53 are similarly provided with longitudinally inclined wedging surfaces 63C which are formed on the inwardprojections 63d. The surfaces 62 and "63e coact with 'the Vvouter andV inner annular surfaces formed on Athe expanding members 65 and 65 which Vare constructed in the form of-truncatejd cones, as inthe form of construction previously described,` and which are mountedron the'tapered end 'liaof a Yrod'lilv which is held in 'xed Yrelationship tothe expanding members by a nut. 68 Yengaging its 'threaded extremity. 'The annularsurface of the Yexpanding member l'66 andthecontacting surfaces 63 of the inner segments have greater inclinations to the axis of the core and of the rod 61 than do the` annular surface of the expanding member Stand-the inclinedsurfaces 62c of the outer segments which contactV therewith, lso that uponmovement `of the rod 6lV toward the right,

fascistas Tthe housing "l0 and whicharefsecuiiedzat their VAinner'ends to airotatablezhub or spider ."H mount'- ed 4to revolve about .the rod' '61 ithrough :the

agencyl of a lroller bearing ,unit 12, asHin1the Y form-of construction previously-described. The .cylinder 'I3 corresponds to the gylinder-lpreviously described and a piston 1t issecuredfon- 'the rod B1 within'the cylinder topermit rotation of the rod and to effect 'longitudinallmovementr thereof when compressedxair Ais admitted-to the cylinder T3 through the pipes 15and 16.

Instead of vcontracting the 'segments of theacore by uid pressure, when the Yexpanding emem.- bers are moved tothe positions 'shownin`Fig, =9,

Vas in the 'form of construction rpreviously described, thisform of theinvention includesfcom. tinuously acting coil `springs 1T which lare mounted within the housing 1B :incylindrical kbores 'I8a formedin'blocks or bosses'l which: are `carried by a ring BEIy formed yasia.lateraliprojection of the ring gear 18 by which thecore isxrotated and secured Ythereto by screws 18l.. The ring gear 79 Vis journaled in bearings l'lccarried` by the housing 'lll as in theformof construction previously described. The blocks 18 are located Y on the opposite sidev of the iiange of thehousving from the gear 'l5 androtate with thergear.VY 'These coil springs have their-inner ends arranged to engage depressions (25 and 63g ywhichfare formed in the 'outer faces of ythe arms `62f and -63f of the arms of the segments and "they are normally under compression --so that when the 4core is expanded they tend toforce the segments inwardly against the expanding members :and will bring about the contraction of the coreby 'radial pressureexerted upony the segmentswhen -shown anddescribed by'way of illustration-.it

will be understood that -it may beY constructedkin Y *i VVvarious other embodiments coming 'within the as viewed in Fig. 9J theinner segments expand more rapidlyv than the outer segments.' withY the result that when the piston reaches the righthand end of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 8,

'with a resulting location of the expanding mem.

bers in their .extreme righthand positions,V both A.series of segments will beV fully 'expanded and their outer arcuate surfaces wi11 form a `composite cylindrical surface. When the expanding members are moved toward the left, as viewed in Fig, 8, the expanding member't` will'permit'the inner segments 63 to contract more rapidly than the outer segments 62 which vengage the expand` ing member 65 having a lesser slope, so thatthe inner segments are allowed to move inwardly ahead of the outer segmentsto allow forithe necessary contraction of the core.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 8,` 9and l0, the segments 62 .andl63 are'iprovided with extensions 62f4 and 83f which extendjinto scope of the appended claim. lI claim: 'Y Y The combination tatable core comprising-an annular seriesofouter Ysegments, an annular series of inner segments arranged alternately with'. respect to #said outer segments, the-segments :of each'fseries beingpro-V vided ontheir inner sides with longitudinally in- Lcline'd Wedging surfaces, and'a-pairfof vtapered i expanding members movable longitudinally of Vsaidzcore and each coactingyvth:saidrinclined wedging surfaces vformed on 'one `iseries 1 of y#sesvments, one of` said expanding membens and *one seriesr of segments being-provided with contacting surfaces which are .parallel v.to the axis off-said' rcore whereby'that expandinggfmember mayfhaveY i ALEN B. `WILSON Vin a winding reel, ofaro- 

